MLB power rankings
With only a few weeks to the start of the Major League Baseball season, it is time to rank the clubs. At the end of the year we will all look back and scoff at some of these rankings, while others will seem like a premonition from the future. Then again, isn’t that the fun of Spring Training power rankings?
Without any more rambling, let’s get down to business:
30. Philadelphia Phillies
The pitching is brutal, and the stars are ancient. Time to rebuild.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
Good luck naming five players on this team. The rotation is the worst in baseball.
28. Colorado Rockies
The hitting is terrific, the staff is horrific. Likely a 70-win team at best.
27. Minnesota Twins
Paul Molitor will have a tough time getting out of the AL Central cellar with this young group.
26. Tampa Bay Rays
Without Joe Maddon, David Price and Ben Zobrist, Tampa Bay will be atrocious.
25. Texas Rangers
With Yu Darvish, Texas was borderline respectable. Without him, the Rangers are cooked.
24. Atlanta Braves
The hitting is non-existent and the pitching is spotty. Tough year ahead.
23. Houston Astros
The Astros are up-and-coming, but still lack the starting pitching to truly compete in the AL West.
22. Cincinnati Reds
The Reds are simply a team without much punch either in the rotation or the lineup.
21. Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee might have a good offense, but you are sunk when Kyle Lohse is your ace.
20. New York Yankees
Old team with rapidly declining skills. New York is clearly on the way down.
19. Kansas City Royals
After winning the American League last year, the Royals had a rough offseason and seemed destined for regression.
18. New York Mets
The pitching staff is awesome, but is there enough hitting to make a run at a playoff spot?
17. Baltimore Orioles
The departures of Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz leave major question marks, along with a mediocre starting staff.
16. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are the most talked-about team this spring. Can the young guns get Chicago back in the playoffs?
15. Toronto Blue Jays
The loss of Marcus Stroman is crushing. Toronto simply doesn’t have the pitching for a World Series run.
14. Chicago White Sox
Chicago has a nice rotation and Jose Abreu is fantastic. The question is whether the supporting cast is good enough.
13. Miami Marlins
The roster is loaded with talent. If Jose Fernandez is back at some point and healthy, look out.
12. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh needs to get solid pitching. If it does, the hitting will take care of securing a playoff spot.
12. Cleveland Indians
The Indians have young, talented arms. Can they get Cleveland into the postseason for the second time in three years?
10. Oakland Athletics
Oakland is total remade, but has great pitching and defense. If the offense produces, this is a playoff team again.
9. San Diego Padres
The Padres must come together after so many changes. If they do, this could be a 90-win team.
8. Boston Red Sox
Boston has a shaky rotation but a dynamic offense in a horrendous division. Good times for the Red Sox.
7. St. Louis Cardinals
No organization is sports wins more consistently than St. Louis. Expect another NL Central championship.
6. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers need Justin Verlander to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. If he is, the playoffs are all but certain.
5. Los Angeles Angels
With Garrett Richards still hurt and Josh Hamilton out, there are questions. Still, the remaining talent is solid.
4. Los Angeles Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw, Zach Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig. The Dodgers will be just fine.
3. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners have the best pitcher in the AL and, finally, a solid lineup. Seattle is the most complete team in the AL.
2. San Francisco Giants
The Giants lost Pablo Sandoval, but still have hitting and plenty of pitching. San Francisco remains an elite group.
1. Washington Nationals
The Nationals have the best rotation in baseball and a stacked lineup. This team should win it all.
